Falling
by ginnyweasley777
Summary: AU in which Archie McDonald falls for the new housekeeper of Glenbogle House. Archie/Lexie all the way.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Nothing much to see here, just a little AU I wrote. I'll be back with chapter two tomorrow.**

Falling

Chapter One: Glenbogle

She was nineteen and running away for the second time in her life. This time just to the other side of Glasgow wasn't far enough. No, this time she intended to go as far as the twenty three pounds she had to her name would get her.

She walked into the train station with nothing but the clothes on her back and the few measly possessions she had in a backpack slung over her shoulder. It was deserted now at half past ten at night and the place was dimly lit, the lights flickering feebly on the gloomy walls, and the air of general sadness fitted her mood perfectly. The distant sound of a radio did nothing to give the place any cheer and she approached the slightly overweight and balding man sat behind the desk with a determined air that belied her real feelings.

"How can I help you, lass?" he asked kindly.

"How far can I get on twenty pounds?" she asked.

He looked at her curiously. "Which direction do you want to go?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere so long as it's not here."

He tapped some keys on his computer. "There's a train to Glenbogle leaving in half an hour."

"Where's that?"

"It's a little place in the Highlands, takes ten and a half hours to get there."

"That'll do," she replied, biting her bottom lip and hoping that for once she could have a change of luck in a new place.

"That's sixteen pounds eighty then," he said.

She ducked her head to fumble in her pockets for her money and missed the faintly pitying look he gave her.

"Name please?" he asked as she handed over the money.

"Lexie McTavish."

"Here you are then, lass," he said, handing her the ticket and change.

"Thanks," she mumbled, accepting them.

"Good luck to you, lass," he said as she made to walk away.

She gave an awkward nod of her head in acknowledgement as she turned to go and find her train, painfully aware of how obvious it was to him that she was running away.

As she settled into her seat for the long journey she realised just how close to tears she was, and just how much those few kind words had affected her.

Years later, as she thought back to that day, she would marvel at just how lucky she had been, that her fate had been in that man's hands, and in sending her to Glenbogle he'd set in motion a course of events that would change her life forever.

But that was still in the future, and right then she was still a mess, and on the train that was steadily chugging it's way towards the Highlands and the little place called Glenbogle that she knew nothing of, and which there was probably nothing for her there. The only difference there to in Glasgow would be that she would be seventeen pounds poorer. She had no home, no job, no expectations from life, and no hope. The reality was that she was drifting just as much as her shattered soul was, desperately needing something to grasp, to hold onto, but just not knowing what.

She had slept fitfully on the train and rubbed her eyes tiredly when it finally pulled up at a little station. She looked out of the window at the sign with it's faded letters announcing her arrival in Glenbogle

She stood up and stretched. She just hoped that for once in her life she could have a change of luck and be able to find a place to find home, instead of living in constant fear of the future.

She sighed and made her way off the train and onto the platform where she stopped and looked around her. The air smelt fresh and crisp and there was a few daffodils poking their heads up above the ground at the first sign of spring. She was the only person on the platform as the train chugged away from her and she looked around for any other sign of life. There was none other than the birds in the trees and a single lane road leading away from the station towards, she hoped, civilisation.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the afternoon before. She rifled in my pockets and found that she now had six pounds and twenty pence left. She sighed heavily and decided to head into the village to see if she could talk her way into a job before she began to worry about food or a place to stay.

After a short walk along the road she found the village. It was pretty in a quaint sort of way. There was a few people on the street, going about their business and a little row of shops lined the street and a pub stood on the corner. The backdrop itself was what was beautiful. There was what could only be described as a mountain in the distance and the sun had turned the top of it golden.

She gave herself a mental shake and reminded herself to focus on the matter at hand. She decided to try to local shop and post office first. _As good a place as any_, she thought to herself.

She walked into the shop and hoped she looked more confident than she felt in her travel weary clothes and backpack over her shoulder.

"How can I help you?" asked the old lady behind the counter.

"Well, I'm actually looking for a job," she replied, "and I was wondering if there was anything going here?"

The lady shook her head and Lexie felt her stomach drop. "I'm sorry, dear, I wish I could help you, but there's barely enough work for us, let alone anyone else. I tell you what though, you could try up at the big house, they might have need of someone up there."

"That's great, thank you," she said with relief. She turned to go then realised she didn't have a clue where to go. "Er, where is 'the big house'," she asked.

"Out of the village at the far end and over the bridge then it's about five miles further on, you can't miss it. If you go over the road to the B&B you should be able to get a lift with Duncan as he'll be about ready to leave for work there now. He'll be the one in the Land Rover that thinks he's on a race track, just don't tell him I said that," she whispered with a wink.

Lexie laughed. "I'll bear that in mind, thank you again."

"Oh, don't thank me yet, I might be sending you on a wild goose chase for all I know."

Feeling in slightly higher spirits, Lexie crossed the road just as boy about her own age raced out of the B&B, pulling on a leather jacket over a ratty looking kilt. "Are you Duncan?" she asked as he skidded to a stop next to a battered Land Rover.

He looked round quizzically. "Aye, who wants to know?"

"The lady in the post office said you might be able to give me a lift to, ah, the big house? I'm looking for a job."

"Oh, alright, jump in then."

With a hard tug, she managed to get the door open and climbed in with her backpack at her feet just before Duncan sped away from the kerb.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Lexie," she replied. "Do you work up here then?"

"Aye, I've just started working on the estate a few months ago. I work with the ghillie, but I'd like to be a head keeper some day."

"What is this place then - she only said it was 'the big house'."

"You'll see," replied Duncan as he rattled over the bridge and sped away up the road. "It's the biggest estate in the area and it's a grand old house. Normally it'd be Mrs McDonald you'd need to see if you're after a job in the house, but you might need to speak to the new Laird now."

"The new Laird?"

"Aye, the son. He's come away back from London to take over running the place. Course Hector's not too happy about it, but it was Mrs McDonald who hatched the plan to bring Archie back home, so he's not really got a say in it."

"Right," said Lexie, feeling nervous at the prospect of asking an apparently grand family for a job.

They rounded another bend and she gasped at the sight before her. They were approaching what could only be described as a castle, complete with turrets and a loch sitting at it's feet and her mind instantly went to one of her few prized possessions tucked away in her bag - a battered old drawing she'd done as a child when she'd imagined she was a fairy princess living in a grand old castle. It was that picture that had got her through some of her worst nights, the thought of being someone else and living far, far away. As she looked again at the sight before her she felt a sense of peace, a feeling of coming home. It was stupid really, because she knew she might not get the job, but just maybe, maybe if she could, she could be happy for once.

Before she knew it they were skidding to a stop on the gravel drive. "Well here we are," said Duncan, jumping out and spreading his arms. "Glenbogle House."

Lexie climbed out slower and slung her bag over her shoulder as she took a closer look. It was still beautiful, but now she was nearer, she could see the signs of age and disrepair.

"Come on, I'll take you to find Mrs McDonald," said Duncan, hurrying into the house through a side door.

Lexie ran to catch up with him just as he pushed open the door to the kitchen.

"Ah, Mrs McDonald, this is Lexie, she's looking for a job. I've got to get going now though, Golly will be looking for me otherwise. See you later, Lexie," he called over his shoulder as he tore off again.

Lexie stared after him.

"Don't worry, he's always like that, you'll get used to it."

Lexie turned to look the older but still pretty woman who had just spoken. "Mrs McDonald?" she asked.

"Molly, dear, and you're Lexie?"

Lexie nodded. "Aye, Lexie McTavish."

"And you're looking for a job?"

"Yeah, the lady at the post office suggested I ask here."

"I see. How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Can you cook?"

"I, ah, yes, a bit," replied Lexie nervously.

"Good, and do you mind hard work?"

"No, not at all."

"Even better," replied Molly. "So how about cook and housekeeper then? We've been muddling along for a while now, but I'm completely hopeless, and Hector, well Hector is even worse than me."

"That would be great, thank you very much."

"Now you're new to the village aren't you? Have you got somewhere to stay yet?"

Lexie shook her head. "No, not yet."

"No matter, there's plenty of rooms here, you can have your pick of them."

Lexie could hardly believe her luck. "I really appreciate that, thank you."

Molly smiled at her. "Come along, dear, we'll find you a room and you can get settled in."

As Lexie unpacked her few possessions in the room that she could now call her own, she finally felt a sense of peace wash over her. She had a roof over her head, a job, an absolutely beautiful place to work and live, and so far lovely people to work for, she felt like she had finally landed on her feet and right now the last four years felt so far removed from her current surroundings that she could almost pretend that they hadn't happened at all.

She propped her drawing of the castle up on the bedside cabinet against the light and smiled. Her stomach growled and she realised it was long past time she got herself something to eat so she headed out of her room and tried to find her way back downstairs.

After two definite wrong turns, she heard voices just below her and cautiously made her way down the stairs in the direction of the kitchen. The voices grew louder.

Lexie knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she couldn't exactly help it.

"You can't just hire someone without consulting me, Mother! For better or worse, I run the estate now, and it was your idea to hatch a plan to bring me back up here, remember? The estate is struggling and yet you want to be shelling out another wage?"

"Archie, I don't know whether you've realised it yet or not, but neither your father or I can cook, and we can't expect you to feed us as well as run the estate. Not only that, but the place is caked in dust and I can't keep on top of it. The girl is getting her room and board and will cook and clean. I hardly think it's excessive for a place this size, do you?

"Fine! But I'll need references from her!"

Lexie heard the footsteps approaching the door a split second before it opened and she had no time to move out of the way. A firm body collided with hers and gripped her arms to stop her toppling over. She looked up into the eyes of the person who had collided with her and had the sudden feeling that he could read her very soul. She looked away quickly.

"Were you eavesdropping?" he asked.

"No," she said quickly. "I was just on my way down here."

"You're Lexie?"

"Aye, and you're Archie?"

"Yes." He suddenly realised he was still holding her arms. He let go and took a step back quickly.

"I don't want to cause any trouble," she said, "and you can have my references - I worked in a cafe in Glasgow until they cut back on their staff."

Molly appeared in the doorway behind Archie. "Take no notice of him, Lexie, he's cross with me, not you."

Archie had the good grace to flush as he stepped around Lexie. "I'll speak to you later."

"I'm sorry, Molly," said Lexie, "I didn't mean to overhear, and I don't want to cause any trouble for you with your family…"

Molly ushered her into the kitchen. "Don't worry about it, Lexie. You'll soon realise Archie is much like his father - all bark and no bite. He's still cross with me for bringing him back up here to run the estate when he was happy in London, but this is our home, our heritage, and if it's not run properly now then who knows where we'll end up," she finished in a rush.

Lexie wasn't quite sure what to say to that.

"Oh, don't worry," said Molly, noticing her unease, "I meant what I said to Archie, taking you on is hardly excessive for a place this size, and we desperately need the help. Now why don't you get something to eat and tell me all about yourself."

Lexie smiled, "There's really not much to tell…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Kiss

Lexie settled straight into life at Glenbogle House with it's slightly mad routine and eccentric occupants over the next few weeks and soon began to consider it her home. She struck up an affinity and friendship with Molly straight away. Duncan was sweet if a bit daft at times, and Golly the strong silent type but always willing to listen or give out sound advice if she needed it. And Hector was, well Hector. He frequently complained about her cooking, but never failed to eat it, and could usually be found cooking up some hair brained scheme or other with his neighbour, Lord Kilwillie.

But Archie, Archie was different. They'd not seen eye to eye at first and several times she had feared her quick tongue was going to get her into trouble with him, but it never had, and now they'd settled into something akin to friendship, although in truth friendship was the last thing her traitorous mind and body felt towards him. But that was something she kept deeply hidden inside her, preferring to to cover it with jokes while covertly watching him.

Not that she stood a chance with him, she knew, not while Katrina Finlay was around fluttering her eyelashes at him and making up any old excuse to come round on an afternoon and then stay for dinner. And Archie like a fool lapped it up and couldn't see that Katrina was only using him - trying to get him to fall for her so she could use him and his status to advance her own position.

So instead Lexie settled for friendship and kept her feelings buried, preferring instead to make it her mission to make Archie laugh and smile, since he often looked so serious as he pored over the estate finances. On that front, she knew she could be successful as they shared a smile or an eye roll over her quick-tongued response to Hector complaining about her cooking, or a laugh as she told him of the time she'd accidentally on purpose thrown coffee over someone who'd tried one too many times to feel her up by claiming that she'd slipped.

Duncan had tried in his own bumbling way to ask her out for than once, but she always refused as she'd soon began to think of him as brother. She'd ventured down to the village a few times on her afternoons off, but most of her time she spent at Glenbogle, preferring instead to walk down by the loch at sunset, and if Archie happened to occasionally be down there at the same time then she stubbornly refused to admit that it had been a concious decision on her part to walk down there.

The place was beautiful and for the first time in a long time - perhaps even ever - she felt happy. She'd moved up there to forget her painful past, and now, as the months went by, she found herself scarcely able to remember just what she had been running away from. The place and the people in it seemed to heal her, to be a balm for the scars of her past. Glenbogle was her home now and she never wanted to leave it.

The dishes done, she slipped out of the back door and made her way down towards the loch to take her usual path along the shore and up into the sand hills where she often sat and contemplated things. Tonight though, instead of finding herself alone - or with Archie - she saw Katrina hovering near the edge of the loch. She hesitated, hoping to slip away unseen, but it was too late as Katrina had seen her.

"Lexie!" she called, making her way towards her.

Lexie watched her shrewedly for Katrina never usually bothered to speak to her, being too busy trying to catch Archie's attention instead.

"I hoped to find you out here tonight," said Katrina as she approached her.

Lexie shrugged. "I like to come for a walk before it gets dark." She set out along the edge of the loch and Katrina fell into step beside her.

"I wanted to talk to you about Archie."

Lexie glanced sideways at her. "What about Archie?" she asked.

"Well you know that me and him…"

"What about you and Archie?" she asked, trying to ignore the twinge of jealously that tore through her gut at the words. "As far as I know there is no you and Archie."

Katrina had the grace to flush at her words. "Well no, not yet there isn't, but it's only a matter of time."

Lexie stopped walking. "What do you want, Katrina? Believe it or not, I don't want my walk interrupted by talk of your relationship - or lack of - with Archie."

Katrina looked taken aback by the bluntness of her words. "I don't want you getting in the way of me and Archie."

"And how on earth am I going to get in the way of you and Archie?" she asked, ignoring the churning feeling in her gut.

"I've seen the way you look at him."

"I don't look at Archie like anything," she replied quickly.

"Yes, you do, you fancy him rotten, and do you think I don't know all about your cozy little walks down here?"

"We don't have "cozy little walks" down here as you put it, and what I feel for Archie is my business and mine alone."

"It's my business if you get between me and him. Just give it up now, Lexie, because he will never choose you and he'll never see you as anything other than the housekeeper."

Tears stung Lexie's eyes but she blinked them away, determined not to let Katrina see how her words cut her. "I know I'm just a lowly housekeeper and could never compete against you, Katrina, but at least I know that I see the real Archie and not an ideal or a means to an end, and at least I know I have his friendship, so if you want him then you can have him, because I'm not the one standing in your way - you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out for yourself," she said before she stalked off, leaving Katrina at the edge of the loch.

By the time she'd reached the house she was still angry with Katrina, but also with herself for having being so transparent as to let her feelings for Archie be seen.

She didn't speak to Katrina again over the next few days, but despite promising herself she wouldn't bow down to Katrina's demands, she managed to avoid spending any time alone with Archie, even forgoing her evening walk when she knew Archie was out there. Tired from all the cooking and cleaning up after Hector's birthday party, Lexie yawned as she walked along the corridor from the kitchen with the intention of heading upstairs to bed. As she walked past the sitting room the clink of a glass alerted her to the presence of someone. Pausing, she peered round the door, expecting to see Hector having a nightcap. Instead it was Archie.

She must have made some slight movement as he turned his head and smiled when he saw her. "Hey, Lex, fancy keeping me company for a bit?" he said, patting the seat next to him.

Despite her tiredness and the warning voice in her head, Lexie found herself nodding and moved into the room to sink onto the sofa next to him. She sighed with relief as she finally took the weight off her feet and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Are you alright?" asked Archie.

Lexie opened her eyes to see him looking at her with concern. She nodded. "Yeah, just tired - it's been a long day."

"Yeah," he agreed, "but it was a good day. I think my father enjoyed himself and I was surprised to see how many friends he actually has," he joked.

Lexie laughed at his comment. "Be nice."

"Thanks for all your help today, we couldn't have done it without you," he said, reaching out and squeeze her hand.

"Thanks, Arch," she said as she tried hard not to think too much about his touch. God knows, she'd told herself plenty of times since she'd arrived at Glenbogle six months earlier that there was no way Archie would ever see her in the way she wanted him to - housekeepers weren't exactly known as being an attractive option for Scottish Lairds unfortunately.

"I can't believe my father decided to announce to everyone present that he thinks it's time I provided him with a grandchild though," said Archie, bringing her back to the present with a bump. "I'm only twenty five, I think I've got plenty of time for that yet."

"Yeah, but the look on your face was priceless though - you looked like you wanted to ground to swallow you up," she laughed.

"Oh, I'm so glad you can have a laugh at my expense, but what about you - do you want kids?"

She nodded. "Yeah, someday."

"I may not have been top of my class at school, but even I know there has to be some male input in the making of a baby," he joked.

"Yeah, and you blokes think far too much of your _male input_," she retorted, giving him a friendly shove on his arm.

He laughed and leaned into her. "Come on, Lex, you wound me with your words, I know we haven't exactly always seen eye to eye, but we're friends now, aren't we?"

Suddenly, he was too close and she forgot how to breathe.

A sound behind them had them springing apart guiltily and Lexie fought to keep the blush off her cheeks just as Hector walked into the room.

"I'm off to bed. Night, Archie. Night, Lexie."

Lexie smiled. "Night, Hector." She stood up. "Before you go, I've got something for you." She walked over to the sideboard and took a bottle out of the drawer where she'd hidden it earlier that day.

Hector took the bottle from her eagerly. "Finest single malt," he read, caressing the bottle lovingly. "Small bottle though, isn't it?"

Lexie laughed heartily at his words. "It's all I could afford on a housekeeper's wage."

"Archie, my boy, you need to pay the girl more," he said.

"Duly noted," muttered Archie.

Hector turned back to her. "Thank you, Lexie, I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she said as he walked out of the room.

"How do you do that?" asked Archie.

"Do what?" she asked as she returned to her seat next to him, hyper aware of just what might have been before Hector interrupted them.

"Get along with my father so well. I've been trying all my life and I still can't get along with him that well."

She shrugged. "His bark is worse than his bite," she replied, repeating Molly's words from months earlier.

Archie shook his head. "We argue all the time. I always feel as though I'm never good enough. I know I was never meant to be Laird and it should have been Jamie, but just for once I would like him to appreciate that I am trying my best here."

"Have you tried telling him that?" she asked.

He looked at her with surprise. "I think he's more likely to bite my head off if I tried that!"

"You might be surprised, Arch," she said quietly. "I know I haven't been here that long so I don't know you both that well, but it seems to me that Hector, that Hector is still in pain over Jamie, just as you are, and that he does appreciate what you're doing but just doesn't know how to show it."

"I hadn't thought about it that way," he said quietly.

"Just promise me you'll think about it?"

"I will," he assured her. "When did you get so wise?"

Lexie bit her lip and hesitated before finally answering him. "When I ran away from home and lived on the streets," she admitted.

Archie looked at her with surprise. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Why, what happened?" he asked.

"My dad walked out when I was five, and ever since then my mother had an endless stream of boyfriends. She wasn't exactly bothered about what kind of person she brought into our home and I was fifteen when her latest one decided to make a pass at me."

"What happened?"

"I told her and my own mother didn't believe me. She told me I was making it up because I was jealous of her. As if I was jealous of her! I couldn't stay there any longer so I left. You soon learn to grow up when you're living on the streets of Glasgow," she mused.

"Where did you go?"

"I lived on the streets for a while, and then in hostels. I eventually managed to talk myself into a job waiting tables which was enough to feed me and get a room in a share house."

"That must have been tough," said Archie.

"Yeah, it was," she agreed, "but at least I was away from my mother and all her conquests."

"How on earth did you end up in Glenbogle then?" asked Archie.

Lexie laughed. "Honestly?"

Archie nodded. "Yeah."

"I went to the train station late one night and asked how far I could get on my last twenty pounds." She shrugged. "I ended up here."

"I'm glad you did," said Archie sincerely. "I can't imagine life at Glenbogle without you in it now."

"Well there'd be a few less burnt offerings," she joked.

"But there'd be less laughs, you brighten the place up, Lex."

"Why thank you," she replied, suddenly flustered by his warm words.

"I'm serious," he said, leaning closer again and reaching out to touch her cheek.

She forgot how to breathe again, and every rational argument she had told herself for why falling in love with Archie McDonald was a mistake went out of the window when she felt his lips on hers. Despite knowing that kissing him back was a bad idea, she couldn't help but grip his jumper and pull him closer as she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss.

After several blissful moments reality kicked in and Lexie pulled away from him. "I should go to bed," she said quickly, standing up.

"Lex, wait!"

She ignored him and backed away several steps before she turned and fled upstairs, only allowing herself to succumb to tears once she was safely in her room.

Why had she allowed herself to kiss him? Why hadn't she tried harder not to fall in love with him? Because she knew without a doubt that she had, and now that she had kissed him she wasn't certain she could go back to pretending that she didn't feel anything for him. There was nothing she could do about it, except perhaps leave Glenbogle, but then where would she go as she had nothing. Glenbogle was her home and she didn't want to leave it.


End file.
